Original Story (01/21/25): Nike SB will launch “Modern Cowboy” dunk shoes to celebrate Black History Month 2025.

While the inspiration behind these Dunks has yet to be officially revealed, the shoes seem to pay homage to the history of our nation’s first cowboys. While this is rarely depicted in the media, historians estimate that about 1 out of every 4 cowboys in the United States is black. The term “cowboy” itself actually originated as a derogatory term, as only African-American cowboys were called “cowboys” while white cowboys were called “cowboys.” Black brands such as Denim Tears and Dapper Dan have also explored this theme in recent releases.

Western-inspired details can be found in these upcoming BHM SB Dunk Lows. The area around the heels is decorated with intricate embroidery, similar to the embroidery commonly found on cowboy boots. The Nike brand on the heel is stylized and looks like a lasso rope, and the shoe comes with rope-style laces. The denim motif appears on the insole, as well as on the accompanying yellow handkerchief. Hidden on the inside of the tongue is the message “Certified for the Real Riders, Crafted for the Modern Cowboy”. The message is embroidered in pan-African colors – red, black and green – and accompanied by a five-pointed star, a common symbol of cowboy culture and pan-Africanism (the African black star).

The Nike SB Dunk Low BHM “Modern Cowboy” is scheduled to be released at select skateboard shops in February this year, and possibly on SNKRS as well. Take a sneak peek below, and stay tuned for updates on Modern Notoriety.

Update (01/22/25): Kari Daniels (aka @sneakerphetish on X) highlighted other inspirations behind the design of this shoe.

The colorway pays homage to Bill Pickett, the first black athlete to be inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame and the inventor of “bulldogging,” a skill that catches the horns of a bull, also known as horn wrestling. The color scheme of the shoes was taken from the promotional poster for Pickett’s 1921 film The Bull-Dogger.

Now that I’ve mentioned that, here’s the story of Black History Month Nike SB. Bill Pickett was one of the first black rodeo stars to launch a “Bulldogging” show. I’m pretty sure this colorway is a nod to this old promotional poster from his 1921 film, The Bull-Dogger. pic.twitter.com/7ym2wGKCYF

— Cary (@SneakerPhetish) January 22, 2025

Although marked as BHM releases, these will not be released in February. The current expected release date is March 28.

Nike SB Dunk Low BHM “Modern Denim”
Color: Tourmaline/Baroque Brown – Imperial
Style code: HF3058-300
Release date: March 28, 2025
Daily price: $135
Resale: StockX

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